Whitemark
Whitemark (known also as Whitie or simply the Capital) is the Pre- and Post-War capital of Flounders Island, Tasmania. It has always been an important city, but since its occupation by Flounders Island, it has burst with migrants and public buildings. Pride of place among dozens of large buildings is the Flounders Island Parliament Building. In 2287, the current MP is Barrel Darrel, who is also the Prime Minister. History Whitemark was founded in the late 19th century around the Pats River. While it was the largest settlement on Flinders Island, this wasn't a huge boast before the war. One thing size did earn Whitemark was the construction of an airport, the primary source of outside contact on the entire Island. In the 2070s, increasing budget cuts saw Whitemark become one of the few towns on Finders to have maintained roads. When the war struck, Whitemark - like much of the islands - escaped almost entirely unscathed. No sites within the city invoked the ire of Chinese missiles and the great distance between the major population centres in Tasmania and Victoria saw fallout take months to impact the Islanders. In fact, normalcy was maintained in Whitemark for nearly half a century. It was only in the 2120s that order collapsed across the islands. With everyone fleeing settlements to gobble up their own bit of land in the wild, Whitemark quickly became a ghost town. Stores and houses were abandoned, streets left littered with decaying cars. However, amongst this devastation, signs of life were apparent; somehow, despite the failure of machinery around Flounders, the lights were still on in the Mayor's house. New Management Before the War, the Longnecks had long since been established as the mayors of Whitemark and the bombs did little to change this. Even when everyone else abandoned the town, the proud Longnecks remained. For 60 years, 3 generations of Longnecks occupied the positions of Mayor - even if they led no one but the rest of the family. In the late 2280s, this age-old leadership was broken. The foundation of the Flounders Island Provisional Government in 2180 saw massive changes to the Homesteads. As the new nation pushed south, the leader of the movement, Darren Runner, set his sites on retaking the Whitemark as the capital. Throughout the late 2180s, Runner attempted to bring the Longnecks in peacefully. After bribery, persuasion and every other diplomatic form failed, Runner simply grabbed his pistol and finished the inbred family off. While Runner continued to spread his leadership further south, Whitemark was quickly reoccupied. The original inhabitants lived little better than before if somewhat better shielded from the dangerous coastal storms. However, when Flounders Island was fully united in 2188, Runner returned to the city and set about building it up even better than before the war. One of the first developments in Whitemark was the construction of the Pats River sawmill. Flounders is heavily forested and the planned development of Whitemark called for large amounts of building material. When finished in mid-2190, the sawmill not only provided the necessary material admirably but helped bring in more and more migrants to the city, growing its population rapidly. Throughout the 2190s, Whitemark practically became a new city. Parliament was completed in 2192. The foundations for Bankers Bust were set in January 2193. Pats River was filled with new citizens in December 2195. Merchants established themselves in the Pre-War shopping centres by the end of the century. A New City While this expansion eased off with the government development of New Sea from 2201-2207, Whitemark continued to grow. In 2190, the population of the city was just under 100. By 2200, it had reached 450. By 2210, it was breaching 700, more than the entire population of the Pre-War island. Business boomed as the population expanded. Charlie's made a killing simply hauling lumber to and from the sawmill. Ingenious men established workshops by the Pats and cut deals with stores at Market Row to deal in their products. The average citizen became so wealthy, restaurants appeared, preparing and serving dozens of different dishes. By the 2130s, a veritable middle-class had developed, a first for the new nation. Such massive growth can't continue endlessly, however. The wars of the 2230s and 40s put a damper on the migration to the city, with many instead travelling to New Sea to sign on with the FIN. In the 2250s through 80s, government development and infrastructural growth helped increase agricultural productivity in the various homesteads around Flounders Island. These factors combined to stifle, though not stop, the growth of Whitemark. In 2223, the city breached 1000 inhabitants. In 2240, the city was bursting with 1700 inhabitants. To accommodate so many people, a housing boom developed. This furthered the economy. While slacking off as the century went by, this boom helped to provide the new workers with an income. Over time, these citizens shifted away from basic manual labour into the service industries the city is now based on. By 2287, the city is a prosperous metropolis of approximately 3300 middle-class inhabitants. The elections in 2284 saw Barrel Darrel come into office as the local member and, overall, the Prime Minister of Flounders Island. The city currently aflush with colourful posters for next years election. Layout Whitemark is located just south of the Pats River and hugs around the Pre-War airport road. The original layout of the town has been practically forgotten; all that remains of the Pre-War town is the Mayor's Office (now the PM's Home) and Airport Road. Around these two features, new important locales have sprung up. Parliament Block Parliament Block is the centre of not only Whitemark's government but also all of Flounders Island. Housing Parliament House, the PM's Home and all of the major bureaucratic factions within the nation, Parliament is the brain of the national body. As well as the official buildings, fancy, sprawling homes can be found to house the various representatives of the Island's different geographic zones. Bankers Bust Bankers Bust is nestled in-between Parliament Block and Market Row and houses the banks, corporations and business which Whitemark derives much of its wealth from. Among the headquarters for caravan companies and banks, an individual can find the administrative head of the Flounders Island Navy. Pats River The Pats River Region is a combined industrial and housing section for Whitemark. Housing much of the less wealthy and all of the town's industry, this area is an entirely Post-War construction, complete with freshly poured asphalt and brand new timber walls from the local sawmill. Market Row Market Row has gained its name from the close proximity of three shopping plazas hemming in a Pre-War intersection. Here is the consumer centre of Whitemark. If New Sea has its docks to provide, the Pre- and Post-War shopping centres of Market Row are where citizens of the capital can find food, clothes, knick-knacks and whatever else they may need. Economy Whitemark is primarily a service-based economy, a unique instance in post-nuclear Tasmania. Whitemark houses banks, lending companies, merchant company headquarters, restaurants, pubs and other services. The vast majority of the population work in these institutions, creating a city with a fairly sizeable middle-class. This, in turn, creates a need for more services for a wealthy population, leading to the opening of more and more services. Of course, no city is purely middle class. Centred amongst the Pats River is a series of farms and small-scale manufacturies. Small farmers occupy the areas around the banks of the river, growing significant amounts of food for both the city and export. The Pats is also an important source of energy for local industry - without the almost medieval waterwheel-powered sawmills, Whitemark would likely be significantly less developed. Government Whitemark follows the same government system around Flounders Island. During General Elections, local Members of Parliament are elected who then represent the city at the parliament. Amusingly enough, the current MP of Whitemark is also the Prime Minister - Barrel Darrel of the South Whitemark Darrels. The Member for Whitemark has always had close ties with the Flounders Island parliament due to the close proximity they have. As such, many citizens outside of Whitemark view the city as 'entitled' and treated better than the rest of the islands. New Sea especially prides itself on its relative independence from the Flounders Island government, as opposed to the 'suck-ups' of Whitemark. Relations As the capital of Flounders Island, Whitemark primarily has the same opinion of foreign bodies as the regular government. However, as a semi-independent political body within the nation, Whitemark has their own, independent relations with other groups within the nation. Louis's Lurk Lair Louis's Lurk Lair is the primary Mirelurk farm in Flounders Island. As well as providing Carapaces to the Flounders Island Navy, LLL provides restaurants and stores in Whitemark with meat. Both parties enjoy this arrangement and the wealth it brings them. Charlie's As the primary caravan company in Flounder's Island, Charlie's ships goods in and around Whitemark. Among the many government buildings present, the Charlie's Headquarters is present here, amongst the bustling Bankers Bust suburb. Category:Tasmania Category:Places Category:Communities